The story of Miguel Ángel, the 20-year-old from Las Tunas who survived an electrical shock of 33,000 volts while serving in the Mandatory Military Service in Havana, continues to inspire solidarity among Cubans both on the island and abroad.
The case went viral on social media after a post by the user known as "Noli Blas" from Holguín, and it was picked up by "Historiador Santa Maria," a Cuban from the diaspora who narrated the case on Facebook Reels and decided to take immediate action.
"I kept that in my mind and sent some money to Cuba," explained "Historian Santa Maria" in his video, where he recounted that he asked his father to buy the young man a blender, a stove, and food, as Miguel Ángel needs a special diet due to the aftermath of the accident.
The father of the "Historian Santa Maria" personally visited the young man and his mother in Las Tunas. The account he brought back was heartbreaking: "My dad says it tears your soul apart, sir, he’s truly saddened. I've seen many cases, but this one really affected me."
According to the account, the father was also unable to hold back his tears during the visit: "My dad says he couldn't hold back his tears, they were flowing down, and so were mom's."
Miguel Ángel was only 20 years old when the accident changed his life forever. He was on duty at a military post when a pole came into contact with a high-voltage power line.
The shock caused severe injuries to his arms, legs, abdomen, and back, leaving him unconscious.
He spent a year and three months in intensive care at the Naval Hospital of Havana, where he underwent a tracheotomy. He was discharged on January 10, but he continues to suffer from serious aftereffects and can hardly walk normally.
Neither he nor his mother have received any compensation from the Cuban State.
"He's so young, and that boy can't work anymore, he's just a child, he's sad," lamented the "Historiador Santa Maria," whose video has accumulated over 23,000 views and nearly 1,800 reactions on Facebook.
The wave of solidarity was also joined by the Brave Heart Project, coordinated by someone identified as "Kiki," who made a public call on Facebook to activist Merli Pérez Quintero to raise awareness about the case and channel more support for the young man.
"Miguel Ángel has gone through very difficult times. His life changed completely, and each day he faces new challenges. His story deserves to be heard because behind it lies pain, sacrifice, strength, and a strong desire to move forward," the project stated in its post.
The case of Miguel Ángel is not an isolated incident. A report from the Observatorio Cubano de Auditoría Ciudadana (OCAC), published on July 20, 2026, documented at least 97 recruits dead or missing during Military Service between 2001 and the spring of 2026, with an average age of 18.7 years.
The Cuban government does not publish official statistics on these deaths, so the OCAC warns that the actual number could be even higher.
Those wishing to support Miguel Ángel can contact the Corazón Valiente Project through the coordinator Kiki at the phone number 51324539.
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